sum
noun
the aggregate of two or more numbers, magnitudes, quantities, or particulars as determined by or as if by the mathematical process of addition.
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sum
1 American
[suhm]
/ sʌm /
noun
-
sums
plural
-
the aggregate of two or more numbers, magnitudes, quantities, or particulars as determined by or as if by the mathematical process of addition.
The sum of 6 and 8 is 14.
-
a particular aggregate or total, especially with reference to money.
The expenses came to an enormous sum.
-
an indefinite amount or quantity, especially of money.
to lend small sums.
-
a series of numbers or quantities to be added up.
-
an arithmetical problem to be solved, or such a problem worked out and having the various steps shown.
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the full amount, or the whole.
-
the substance or gist of a matter, comprehensively or broadly viewed or expressed.
the sum of his opinions.
-
concise or brief form.
in sum.
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Mathematics.
-
the limit of the sequence of partial sums of a given infinite series.
-
-
a summary.
verb (used with object)
-
sums,
present (3rd person singular)
-
summed,
past participle, past
-
summing
present participle
-
to combine into an aggregate or total (often followed byup ).
-
to ascertain the sum of, as by addition.
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to bring into or contain in a small compass (often followed byup ).
verb (used without object)
-
sums,
present (3rd person singular)
-
summed,
past participle, past
-
summing
present participle
verb phrase
SUM
2
American
sum-
3
American
sum
1
British
/ sʌm /
noun
-
-
the result of the addition of numbers, quantities, objects, etc
-
the cardinality of the union of disjoint sets whose cardinalities are the given numbers
-
-
one or more columns or rows of numbers to be added, subtracted, multiplied, or divided
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maths the limit of a series of sums of the first n terms of a converging infinite series as n tends to infinity
-
(plural) another name for number work
-
a quantity, esp of money
he borrows enormous sums
-
the essence or gist of a matter (esp in the phrases in sum, in sum and substance )
-
a less common word for summary
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archaic the summit or maximum
-
(modifier) complete or final (esp in the phrase sum total )
verb
-
(often foll by up) to add or form a total of (something)
-
(tr) to calculate the sum of (the terms in a sequence)
sum
2
British
/ sʊm /
noun
sum
Scientific
/ sŭm /
Synonym Usage
See number.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
sumsimple
-
sumssimple
-
have summedperfect
-
has summedperfect
-
am summingprogressive
-
are summingprogressive
-
is summingprogressive
-
have been summingperfect progressive
-
has been summingperfect progressive
Past
-
summedsimple
-
had summedperfect
-
was summingprogressive
-
were summingprogressive
-
had been summingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of sum
First recorded in 1250–1300; (noun) Middle English summe, from Latin summa “sum,” noun use of feminine of summus “highest,” superlative of superus ( see superior); (verb) Middle English summen (from Old French summer ), from Medieval Latin summāre, derivative of summa
Explanation
When you determine the sum, you add up all the numbers. When you sum something up, you focus on all of its important points. The word sum can also refer to a certain amount of money. A new car might cost you a huge sum of money. But if you sum or add up all its benefits, you might be able to justify spending so much. You calculate the total on a restaurant bill when you sum up the prices of everything you ordered. Sum doesn't have to refer strictly to numbers. When you sum something up, you're giving an overview or general statement about it.
Vocabulary lists containing sum
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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Arithmetic
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The Number System
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
If successful, Missouri could end up paying out a sum close to $80 million.
From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026
The law also prohibited mortgage lenders and servicers from requiring borrowers to pay back any forbearance in a lump sum, but it otherwise did not specify repayment terms.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026
People typically buy annuity policies for an upfront sum, then receive payments for anywhere from a few years to their entire lives.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
The sum is the biggest single donation ever given to a political party in the UK.
From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026
“Each number is the sum of the two numbers before it. Thirteen plus eight equals twenty-one.”
From "The Smartest Kid in the Universe" by Chris Grabenstein
“We have this strong connection with SUM because we share these objectives, not only on organizing men’s matches but how they see our business, our sport business in the U.S. for the following years.”
From Los Angeles Times ● May 23, 2022
SUM profits when Mexico’s national team is promoted in the US.
From The Guardian ● Jan. 19, 2018
SUM puts on an average of five exhibition games involving Mexico each year.
From Washington Post ● Jun. 17, 2016
The organizers capitalized SUM at the exorbitant amount of $500,000 and named the nation’s first planned industrial city in honor of New Jersey governor William Paterson.
From Time ● Dec. 28, 2015
Discord; holding up her finger, but needing the inscription above to assure us of her meaning, “DISCORDIA SUM, DISCORDANS.”
From The Stones of Venice, Volume II (of 3), by John Ruskin
He was embarrassed at having sum- moned a senior representative of the U.S. government all this way.
From MSNBC ● Nov. 7, 2017
The company is worth at least $72 a share, based on a sum- of-the-parts analysis by Bernstein’s Dibadj.
From BusinessWeek ● Sep. 21, 2011
“Is it true that on sundry occasions during the sum- mer you have entered her house and visited with her?”
From "The Witch of Blackbird Pond" by Elizabeth George Speare
He did not have the careless, almost British look of most of the Devon Masters, because he was a substitute for the sum- mer.
From "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles
By sum- mer he’d learned the basics of the uranium bomb.
From "Bomb" by Steve Sheinkin
Investors typically spent about £500 on shares - although others invested much larger sums - in return for a stake in the company, discounts and perks.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
Rick Phillips has been buying annuities for about a decade, paying upfront sums for the peace of mind of fixed returns.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
The BBC has previously reported on the large sums paid to an external medical provider which has been carrying out medical assessments.
From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026
In retirement, some people buy an annuity with a lump-sum payment and then collect monthly sums for the rest of their lifespan.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 11, 2026
“Mrs. Dalton, you and your husband have given large sums of money to Negro educational institutions, haven’t you?”
From "Native Son" by Richard Wright
To pen this statement takes what can only be summed up in one word: chutzpah.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
“Pacing the frontier” might more realistically be summed up as “trying to stay just ahead of trouble, on purpose.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
The show, called “Yard Sale Liberation,” may best be summed up by this passage in the notes: “This is not a fantasy. These are pieces for the world.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026
She summed up her comparison this way: “If you remove the frame of the cathedral, those stained glass windows shatter. They’re useless.”
From Salon ● Sep. 8, 2026
“Not in his own rooms,” Bernard summed up.
From "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley
He even published his autobiography, but instead of summing up his career, it restarted it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
Major said, summing up the sentiment he heard from clients.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
Mike Murphy continues his wonderful series of What’s Worth Streaming, reviewing the offerings from eight streaming services and summing up which ones are worth paying for and which ones you should skip for the month.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 2, 2026
Judge Paul Ramsey spent about two hours summing up the case on Thursday morning before sending the seven men and five women out.
From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026
“They en’t CCD. They’re called summing like the Security of the Holy Spirit, summing like that. They guard religious places—seminaries, nunneries, schools, that sort of place. They prob’ly come from Wallingford, from the priory there.”
From "The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage" by Philip Pullman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
